Multiple-control switch



March 1931- w. L. WALKER 1,796,774

MULTIPLE CONTROL SWITCH Filed May 51, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I ,NVENTOR w W/LL/A/w. WAL mm 1.9/5 ATTORNEYS,

MULTIPLE CONTROL SWITCH Filed lllay a1. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR ATTORNEYfi STATES L. VJALKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO VALKER SIGITAL & EQUIP- IvfiENI' CORPORA'IIION, CORPORATION OF DELAWARE MULTIPLE-CONTROL SVITCH Application filed May 31, 1929.

l and is concerned more particularly 1 multiple control switches such as is disin my application Serial No. 165,606 5 ebruary S, 1927 now Patent N 0. issued August 26, 1930 and which e desigi d to control a plurality of elece its by the movement of a single le into various positions. The

hand

nvention comprises an improvement type of switch disclosed in the ap- ;;.'on referred to above and is particuopted to be used in connection with oion finders, fire control and varcemniunicating systems used on to the use of switches of the present type on board ships where they are often sur- "l by moist salty air and subjected to shock and other unusual conditions itches must be of etiicient and reliable that they can be depended upon iction at the proper time with a mini.- mum of attention and effort on the part of the operator.

if he principal object of the present invention, th efore, is to provide a multiple control switcn of rug ed design so that it will s nd in service, and at the same a switch in which the numthe switch will be quite low so that the ultia oi? the switch may also be low.

7 other object is to provide a switch of such co: struction that all of its parts will be easily replaceable and which may be easily assembled and dismantled with a. minimum of labor.

' itch oi the present type may coinbetween the brush contacts and the condiscs or plates of the switch. In educe this friction to a minimum h is so designed that the brushes t contacting with the conducting Serial No. 367,345.

plates contact with insulating washers, the total thickness of which is substantially less than the width oi the conducting plates. In the present design it is possible to so proportion the insulating washers that the friction on the brushes may he reduced as much as or thereby reducing the eil'ort necessary to rotate the witch correspondingly.

In multiple control switches in which a large number 01 circuits are to be made and broken it is necessary that a large number of conducting plates and their associated brushes be employed. p operly insulated from one another and usuany washers of hard rubber or other nonconducting n aterial are employed for this purpose. However, it is not possible to obtain washers of absolutely uniform thickness and it therefore becomes necessary to provide means for adjusting the brushes independently with respect to the conducting discs or plates.

Another object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide means in multiple control switches whereby brushes may be independently located so that they may be properly pos .ioned with respect to the conducting discs or plates and at the same time will provide a quick action upon breaking the contacts of the brushes with the discs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means whe eby the wear on the brush contacts may be taken up so that the brushes will have a substantially constant pressure on the conducting discs or plates as they wear away. This may be done by providing brushes of resilient material which normally urge the b L sh contacts toward the conducting discs or plates. However, the present invention describes means in addition to the resilient brushes, these means comprising a mounting of the brushes upon supporting rods which are rotatably mounted an d normally urged in a direction to force the brushes toward the conducting discs. By means of these features of the present invention the brush contacts are not only independently urged toward the conducting discs or plates, but all of the brushes mounted upon a given supporting rod are collectively urged The conducting plates must be toward the conducting discs or plates. By virtue of this construction it a sin -1e brush be caused to wear sway than the nisining brushes its pressure on the conductdiscs or plates will remain conston by reason 01: the independent resiliency o brush,

ject of the present invention discs or plates of broken wii confined" in a chamber forinel betwe n th nsula-ting discs on either side or" the conc'iuctiig discs or nletes. The shape of certain of the conduct- )istes is such that the spark does not occur oi the surf see we. ch contacts with th 11s sur "ace 1S not Die-ted by the sporting and consequently plates A still further obiect of the present invention is to pron le re 'er'dle in-etul brush contacts which may be reesed 1c thereof is worn through contact duct ng discs or plates thus f ening the lite or the Another object 1 vide coil l b ec. spring flexibility with eque.

apparent from the descr lerein so; forth.

in genere the switches embodying the present invention comprise two spa ed circular end plates adopted to suoport a cen- "5, one end ofwh ch rojects a subiistence beyond one of the end plates *rie =e switch. Upon the central she- L 7 l1 m1 J". n iifi""] pine luy Oi coiioucoiu owashers oi": insulating i e herd rubber therebetween nducting plates comprise two dif- (1') circular CllSCS with which one s is always in con-soc and ectangulzir pistes provided projection extending be- 1g discs and adapted to con series of brushes. The two sets of nls es are nounted alternately on the set oi tyo ad acent *ods norinull ion as to fore J the brushes thereon toward the conduct Q iitsble stops are provided on the brrsh rods to limit the rotutive rioyenient of the rods. A disc having e series of equally s1 aced notches cut therein,

'ush support. s in such direct i desion t 1st the spent which 0 curs when corresponding in number to the number of throws or" the switch is DSOZHLQQ on one end or the central siait. A member pivotelly connected with one of the end pistes is pro- Vic d with a roller adapted t roll along the is disc and be inserted into the when the cent-o shaft is rotated into 1/ connecting positions.

In o unde stand the invention fully reference may be t he following de-. scription and the accompanying drr wings in whi h:

'ied spring mounted ting rods.

ss sectional View showing the an conducting plates e insulating discs ctionsl View ils so i or b 1511 supporting in e iongitiioiiial VlGW t iereof.

is is partial cross sectional View iilust g another modification of brush supporting neu'is.

9 is a longitudinel View thereof, and 10 is a c w of the quick action contact "rocker.

' lnstrates a prer. L sent invention the num ste two spaced end p and adopted to support the swirel mechanism. Tie end plates 1 and are held in l relation by a con? nlent number of tie 3, 1" ur such rods A zil shaft 4 is rotthe center of the end plat one end of the shaft projects a. su ce beyond the pla e 2 and has t handle 5 adapted to r h oted thereon a s e 10% numb er of circuits to be hind The type of til it drawing may number of poles, for enzis sir: throw including an he c uc ins ole-tee mountsneit comprise' two diferent type circular discs 3 and sub- .ie. i rectal guler plates The two sets of plates are insulutee "from the co itral shaft by means of a tube 8 of non-conducting nie- 1 is a partial longitudinal cross seei View tulzen substantially along the line i 2 and illustrates a preferred emnt 0 Q the pi esent invention. 2 is cross sectional View taken subli along he line 22 of Fig. 1. v

3 c oss sectional View taken sublong the line of Fig. l. on Glil View of the switch with a, i e ng piste being terial inserted between the shaft and the plates and the plates are insulated from one another by the discs or washers 9 of suitable insulating material, such as hard rubber. As shown more clearly in Fig. the two types of plates 6 and 7, respectively, are mounted alternately upon the central shaft 4. In an 18 hole switch there will be 18 such pairs of conduting plates 6 and 7. In order to prevent the conducting plates 6 and 7 from moving with respect to one another on the cen tral shaft 4;, a rod 10 having suitable insulation 11 thereon is passed through the plates indicated in Fig. 1. T he conducting discs 6 which are circular in form are of slightly less diameter than the insulating washers 9. These discs are made circular because the brushes connected with one set of terminals of the switch are in continuous contact with these conducting discs. The other of the conducting plates 7 are substantially rectangular as shown in Fig. 2 and are provided with arcuate segments as indicated at 12, which segments are of slightly greater radii than the radii of the insulating washers 9 so that they project above these washers. The ends of the conducting plates 7 adjacent these projecting segments 12 are bevelled off as indicated at 13 at some convenient angle such as, for example, 45 so that the only portions of the conducting discs 7' extending beyond the periphery of the insulating Washers 9 are the projecting segments 12. In order to provide a circuit between each pair of conducting plates 6 and 7, these plates are connected by means of the screws 1 1 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. Insulating washers 15 are preferably inserted on the central shaft between the conducting discs 6 and the insulating washers 9 as shown in Fig. 5.

The brushes which contact with the conducting plates 6 and 7 are mounted upon brush rods 16 which extend substantially the full distance between the end plates 1 and 2 and are rotatably supported thereby, and which are distributed equally distant about the central shaft 1. In a switch having five on positions and one off position there are six brushes necessary for each pair of conducting plates 6 and 7 so that there will be six pairs of brush supporting rods 16. In the embodim nt of the invention shown in Fig. 1, double brush supporting rods are employed and have connected to their ends journal members 17 which comprise a rectangular portion 18 having spaced holes therein adapted to receive the ends of the brush supporting rods 16. The journals 17 are provided with projections 19 which en'- tend a slight distance beyond the face of the end plates 1 and 2. The journals 17 are rotatably supported in bushings 2O threaded into the end plates 1 and 2 as indicated at In order to take up the wear on the brush contacts due to their rubbing on the conducting plates 6 and 7 means are preferably provided to rotate the brush supporting rods in a direction tending to force the brushes toward the conducting plates. Various means may be employed for thus rotating the brush rods, but the means preferably employed in the present invention comprise coiled springs 22 wound about the journal members 17 between the projections 18 thereon and the inside faces of the end members 1 and 2. The inner ends of the springs 22 are connected to the journal members 17 as indicated in Fig. 4 and the outer ends are bent around pins 28 projecting from the faces of the end plates 1 and 2.

In order to limit the rotative moiement of the brush supporting rods 16, washers 24 on the threaded bushings are employed and are provided with projecting portions 25 adapted to contact with the pins 26 project ing from the journal members 17 as shown in Fig. 1. This limitation on the rotative movement of the brush supporting rods 16 is nec essary to prevent the brushes from being moved toward the conducting plates beyond desirable limits.

The brushes 27 are those which contact with the conducting plates 7 while the brushes 28 positioned between the brushes 27 as shown in Fig. 1 contact with the conducting discs 6. The brushes 27 and 28 may be, and preferably are, in the form of fiat strips of resilient material and are mounted upon the brush supporting rods 16 by means of the clamping members 29 and 30, to which the brushes are fastened by means of screws 31. The clamping members are insulated from the brush supporting rods 16 by means of the tubes 32 of insulating material and are held in position by the bolts 33. It will be appreciated that the positions of the brushes 27 and 28 on the supporting rods 16 are adjustable. Said adjustment is necessary because it is not possible to obtain commerciaL ly insulating discs 9 and 15 of uniform thicknesses, so that the distances between the conducting plates 6and 7 vary with the thicknesses of the insulating discs.

Instead of the brushes of fiat resilientmaterial, two or more resilient wires, having loops therein as indicated at 34: in Fig. 2, may be employed.

The brush contacts 35 mounted upon the ends of the brushes 27 and 28 and contacting with the conducting plates 7 and 6 respectively, are preferably in the form of flat strips of metal bent back upon themselves to form a U between the parallel arms of which the ends of the brushes 27 and 28 are inserted. The brush contacts 35 may be brazed or otherwise fastened to the brushes.

It will be appreciated from the "above description of the means employed for supporting the brushes and the construction of the brushes themselves and the brush contacts mounted thereon, that any wear occurring in the brush contacts will be taken up by the resiliency of the brushes themselves forcing the brush contacts toward the conducting plates, and also by means of the tendency of the brushsupporting rodsyto rotate by virtue of the coil springs 22 associated therewith. As one side. of the brush contacts wears through to the brushes themselves, the brushes may be reversed so as :to utilize the other side of the brush contacts.

As shown in 1, for example, the brushes 23 contact with the conducting discs 6 continuously throughout the rotation of the central shaft. As the circuit is therefore not broken between the brushes 28 and the conducting discso, no sparking will occur on the surface of discs. On the other hand, the brushes 2? contact with the segmental projections 12 on the conducting plates '7. and the circuit is broken between the brushes and the plates '7 every time s vitch is turned from one position to another. No sparking occurs on the surface of the plates 7 since the conducting plates 7 are be elled as inoicated at 13 in 2, and any sparking will be along these bevelled surfaces 13; This prevents the surfaces of the projecting segients 12 from being pitted or otherwise marked by sparking. As the bevelled surfaces 13 are extended below the periphery of the insulating washers 9, any sparking will occur in or along the chamber formed by the washers 9 and bevelled surfaces It has been found that sparking thus which may occur in this chamber is quenched I more rapidly than sparking occurring through a more open space.

As will be apparent from Fig. 1, the brushes 27 are substantially the same width as the combined thicknesses of the conducting pla es 7 and the insulating washers 9 'on either side thereof. Vfhen the brushes 2'? are not in contact with the projecting segments 12 they rest upon the insulating washers 9. As the thickness of these washers is less than the thickness of the conducting plates 7 the friction on thebrushes is reducedthus making thecentrai shaft leasier to rotate.

lhe various circuits controlled by the switch connected to the brushes by means of the terminal? members 30 connected to the brush clamping members 30 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. v

In order to inform the operator when the central shaft with the conducting] plates mounted thereon has been rotated a sufficient amount to break the circuit through one series of brushes and to connect the circuit in the next succeedingseries of brushes, the position indicating means described below are employed. I

A disc-36 is mounted upon the central shaft 4: at one end thereof and has cut therein six notches indicated at 37 in Fig. 3. The rod 10 passing through the conducting plates 6 and 7 also passes through the disc 36 to prevent it from being moved with respect to the central shaft l. A follower 38 is pivotally mounted on one of the tie rods 3 as shown in Fig. 3, so that the member 38 is in alignment with the disc 36. A small roller 39 is rotatably mounted in the follower 38 as indicated in Fig.1 and is adapted to contact with the surface of the conducting disc 36, and to err gage in the notches 37 in this disc. In order to force the roller 39 into contact with the conducting disc 36 a spring 40 is connected to the end of the follower 38 and to apin 41 Add arojecting from the inner surface or M16 end member 1 as shown in Fig. 3.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 'l' slightly diherent means for supporting the b ushes employed. The brushes 2'? are f ened to supporting plates by means of FF \l K [to v a ine plates in are su s an vertical edge and lll5 cut in the lower horizontal e2 are positioned over the no; rods to which are threadec ig. 7 so that the rods are located "he recesses 4d and 45. The plates are ld ii position on the supporting rods 46 =neans of the locking nuts 47. The upper d es of the plates 42 are bent over as indiated at 48 to provide a supporting surface or the brushes 27.

it will be readily understood from th above desc iption that the positions of the brushes 2? may be readily adjusted onthe supporting rods l6 to accommodate anyvvarying thicknesses of the insulated washers between the-conducting plates on the central shaft. The means employed in this modification for rotating the supporting rods to so as to urge the brushes 2? toward the conducting discs comprise a projecting portion 49 on the journal members 50 which are rotatably supported in the end plates 1 and 2 and a spring 51 connected to the projections l9 and to a. pin 52 projecting from the inner surface of the end plate.

Instead of using the metal brush contacts 35, previously described, carbon brush con tacts 27 such as are shown in Fig. 6 may be employed. As carbon brush contacts have a longer lifetheir use may be preferred under certain conditions of operation.

In the modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9,

I instead of the double brush supporting rods, a

single rod, preferably of square cross-section, is employed as shown at 53. Urshaped clamping members 5d are mounted on the rods 53 and held in position thereon by means of the clamping plates 55 and the locking nuts 56. The brushes 27 are mounted upon the clamping plates 55 and held in position bythe locking nuts 56. As only a single rod is em ployed for supporting each series of brushes no journal members are necessary but the ends of the supporting rods 53 re made circular and the rods are rotatably supported in the end plates 1 and 2. Rotation of the rods 53 to talzc up the wear of. the brush contacts is obtained by means of a spring 57 connected to a projection 58 on the supporting rods, and to a pin projecting from the inner sui -ace of the one plate 1.

The means for limiting th rotative move ment of the supporting rods a6 ant r spectively, indicated generally as in Figs. 7 and 9, are similar to the means previously described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the invention and need not be further de, cribed here.

As means for producing a quicker separation between the projections 12 and the brushes 27, than can be accomplished by a progressive turning of the handle by hand alone, a snap action is provided by having the handle 5 connected with the central. shaft 4; through the intermediary of a helical spring 61 (Fig. 10). A part of the hub 62 of the handle 5 is free to turn on the shaft 4; but is retained thereon by a pin whica enters a groove 6%: in the shaft l. The other part 64, of the hub 62 is fixed to the sha t ()ne end of the spring 61 is fixed to the hub 62 and the other end thereof to the part 6%. The part 64% carries a pointer 65 which will indicate to the operator in what position the switch is placed at all times. A retative movement given to the handle 5 will first produce a tension on the spring 61 until it is suliicientto cause the follower 39 to be forced out of one of the depressions 37 and when a point between the depressions is reached the follower 3. will drop automatically with a snap action into the next depression owing to a release of the tension on the spring 61, thereby causing a greatly accelerated separation between the projections 12 and the brushes 2?. Obviously 1 this action will practically eliminate any tendency of sparking or arcingbetween the contacts.

Having thus described these specific embodiments of my invention, 1 do not wish to be understood as being limited to the deof circuits comprising, end members adapted to support a rotatable shaft, the improvement which comprises a plurality of conducting plates having peripheral projections and fixed on said shaft, a plurality of brushes adapted to contact with each of said plates, and means for holding said brushes out of contact with said plates.

2. In a switch for controlling a plurality of circuits comprising, end members adapted to support a rotatable shaft, the improvement which comprises a plurality of conducting plates having peripheral projections and lined on said shaft, a plurality of brushes adapted to contact with said plates, and means carried by said shaft adjacent said plates for holding said brushes out of contae' 1h said plates.

In a switch for controlling a plurality of circuits comprising, end members adapted to support a rotatable shaft, the improvement which comprises a plurality of conducting plates iayin g segmental projections and fixed on said shaft, a plurality of brushes adapted to contact with each of said plates, and insulating members carried by said shaft adjacei t said plates for holding said brushes out of contact with said plates.

4. In a switch for controlling a plurality of circuits comprising, end members adapted to support a rotatable shaft, the improvement which comprises a plurality of conducting plates'havin segmental projections and fixed aid shaft, a plurality of brushes adapted to contact :ith said plates, a plurality of brush supporting members rotatably supported by said end members, insulating disks *arried on said shaft adjacent said plates for hol... ng said brushes out of contact with the peripheries of said plates, and means connected to said supporting members and adapted to rotate the same whereby said brushes are urged into contact with said insulating disks and projections.

A swi ch for controlling a plurality of 'ircuits comprising, end meml ers adapted to support a rotatable shaft, a plurality of circular conducting discs on said shaft, a plurality of conducting plates on said shafthaying segmental projections, a plurality of circular insulating discs on said shaft whose radii exceed the radii of the circular discs but are less than the radii of said segmental projections, a plurality of brush supporting members, a plurality of brushes mounted on said brush members and contacting with said conducting discs and plates, and means connected to said brush supporting members and adapted to urge said brushes into contact with said discs and plates.

6. A switch for controlling a plurality of circuits comprising, end members adapted to support a rotatable shaft, a plurality of circular conducting discs on said shaft, a plurality of conducting plates on said shaft ha ing segmental projections, a plurality of circular insulating discs on said shaft whose radii exceed the radii of the circular discs but are less than the radii of said segmental projections, a plurality brush supporting circular conducting discs on said shaft, a

plurality of conducting plates on said shaft having segmental pro ections, a plurality of c1rcular insulating discs on said shaft whose radii exceed the radii of the circular discs but are less than the radii of said segmental projections. a plurality of brush supporting members rotatablv su ported by said end members. a plurality of brushes mounted on said brush members and contacting with said conducting discs and plates, means connected to said brush supporting members and adapted to rotate the same whereby said brushes are urged into contact with said discs and plates, and means adapted to limit the rotative movement of said brush supporting members.

8. A switch for controlling a plurality of circuits comprisinonend members adapted to support a rotatable shaft, a plurality of circular conducting discs on said shaft. a plurality of conducting plates on said shaft having segmental projections, a plurality of circular insulating CllSCS on said shaft whose radii exceed the radii of'the circular discs but are less than the radii of said segmental projections, a plurality of brush supporting members rotatably supported by said end members, a plurality of brushes mounted on said brush members and contacting with said conducting discs and plates, adjustable means for positioning said brushes on said brush supporting members, means connected to said brush supporting members and adapt ed to rotate the same whereby said brushes are urged into contact with said discs and plates and means adapted to limit therotative movement of said brush supporting members.

9. A switch for controlling a plurality of circuits comprising, end members adapted to support a rotatable shaft, a plurality of circular conducting discs on said shaft, a plurality of conducting plates on said shaft having segmental projections, a plurality of circular insulating discs on said shaft whose radii exceed the radii of the circular discs but are less than the radii of said segmental projections, a pluralityof brush supporting members rotatably supported by said end members, a plurality of brushes mounted on said brush members and contacting with said conductingdiscs and plates, adjustable means for positioningsaid brushes on said brush supporting members, means connected to said brush supporting members and adapt ed to rotate the same, whereby said brushes are urged into contact with said discs and plates, means adapted to limit the rotative movement of said brush supporting members, having segmental projections, a plurality a disc on said shaft having grooves therein and a member adapted to in said grooves to indicate when the circuits through said brushes are made and broken.

10. A switch for controlling a plurality of circuits comprising, end members adapted to support a rotatable shaft, a plurality of circular conducting discs on said shaft, a plurality of conducting plates on said shaft having segmental projections, a plurality of circular insulating discs on said shaft whose radii exceed the radii of the circular discs but are less than the radii of saidsegmental projections and whose thicknesses are substantially less than the thicknesses of said conducting plates, a plurality of brush supporting members, a plurality of brushes mounted on said brush members and contacting with said conducting discs, a plurality of brushes adapted to contact with said segmental projections and adaptedto Contact with said insulating discs when not contacting with said segmental projections whereby the resistance to rotation of said shaft is lessened, and means connected to said brush members and adapted to urge said brushes into contact with said discs plates.

11. A switch for controlling a plurality of circuits comprising, end members adapted to support a rotatable shaft, a plurality of circular conducting discs on said shaft, a plurality of conducting plates on said shaft having segmental projections, a plurality of circular insulating discs on said shaft whose radii exceed the radii ofthe circular discs but are less than the radii of said segmental projections and whose thicknesses are substantially less than the thicknesses of said conducting plates, a plurality of brush supporting members, a plurality of brushes mounted on said brush members and contacting with said conducting discs, a plurality of brushes adapted to contact with said segmental projections and adapted to contact with said insulating discs when not contacting with said segmental projections whereby the resistance to rotation, of said shaft is lessened, said conducting plates lying wholly within the margins, of said insulating discs except for said segmental projections whereby a recess is formed which is adapted to confine sparking action occurring when the circuits through said conducting plates are broken, and means connected to said brush members and adapted to urge said brushes into contact with said discs plates.

12. In a switch for controlling a plurality of circuits and having end members adapted to support a rotatable shaft, the combination of a plurality of conducting plates carried on said shaft and insulated therefrom, a plurality of brushes adapted to contact with each of said plates in certain portions thereof, a plurality of brush supporting members, means connected to said brush sup porting members and adapted to urge said brushes into contact With said plates, insu lating members for holding said brushes out of contact With said plates in certain positions thereof, a handle for rotating said shaft, means for retaining said shaft in a plurality of said positions, and a spring connection between said shaft and said handle for producing a snap action between said conducting plates and said brushes.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature hereto on May 28, 1929.

XVILLIAM L. WALKER. 

